Tuesday, May 27, 2008

The Sad Case of "The Imperials"

I've talked about "The Imperials" here before. They were far and away my favorite musical group when I was in my teens. The "Sail On" album was like a revelation to me. In an earlier post I talked about hiding behind the soda machine listening to it on a mono cassette player because it was too much like rock 'n' roll for my Christian school.

So today I was thinking about that great old album. I have some MP3s from it that I bought online, but I've always wanted the whole thing. So I googled a few things and came up with this article at Christianity Today's website.

To summarize, The Imperials that I knew and loved -- that performed in city arenas and stadiums to huge roaring crowds and won several grammys -- was founded by a man named Armond Morales. Today his son Jason Morales heads up a group called The Imperials, which does not include any of the original artists, and which makes albums no one listens to and goes around performing in churches and the like.

Now the younger Morales is SUING HIS FATHER for rights to the name "Imperials".

Now, here's the punch line: why is he doing this? Why would a man file a lawsuit against his 70+ year-old father for exclusive rights to the name of the legendary Christian band that was his father's legacy? The answer: to keep his father from "ruining the band's reputation" by performing now and then under the name "The Classic Imperials".

So enter me, an old fan of "The Imperials" looking to renew my interest in the band. I google "The Imperials" and find this load of crap. I can't believe this. What kind of idiot must Jason Morales be to think that his father performing with his old buddies under the name "Classic Imperials" is going to spoil the band's reputation more than this whole ridiculous lawsuit business?

To think that after all those years building the name and reputation of The Imperials, the poor Mr. Morales would live to be sued by his own son over rights to the name.... It's heartbreaking.

I've read the "open letter" at the (young) Imperials official website, where they try to spout pious sounding nonsense in an attempt to make this sound like something that's not completely ugly and foul. But when you boil it down, even in thier own letter, he's suing his father because his father was singing with some of the other former band members under the name "Classic Imperials", and young Mr. Morales thought it would "confuse the fans" to have two bands using the same name. So he files a lawsuit against his father to clear up the matter! How ludicrous!

Jason Morales' "Imperials" would have no fans if it weren't for the decades of work that his father did! And even as it is, the band today doesn't deserve to mop the stage where his father's band performed! Can Jason really believe he's working to restore the reputation of The Imperials by taking his father to court?!

I'm telling you, this completely kills any interest I might have had in this band. And then to read this open letter in which he goes on and on about his "ministry" and "God told me" this and that -- it makes me sick. I wouldn't go to hear these people sing if you paid me. I wouldn't download an MP3 of this band for free. That's how mad I am!

5 Comments:

At 8:00 PM, Blogger Steve said...

Oh my... your meandering mind MUSED again!

I would have to say I'm 100% in agreement with you here even though I have never heard a single track of Imperials music in my life, although thanks to your devotion to them, I have been aware of this band since we went to school together back in the mid 70's. I can remember you talking about them all the time back then! (Even though I'm pretty sure it's not an Imperial's song, for some reason I'm now remembering a time during Chapel when you were singing a song to me entitled "I'm Gonna Rise." Weird what you remember, huh? I still remember the words of the chorus as you sang them to me!)

Yeah, this poor guy's son is whacked. Actually, in large part this whole generation is. I hope he and his pseudo-band fall flat on their faces!

 
At 10:11 AM, Blogger Tim said...

"I'm Gonna Rise" was by The Archers, off their "Fresh Surrender" album. Interesting that you should mention that. Without a doubt The Imperials "Sail On" and The Archers "Fresh Surrender" were the two albums that I played the most, by far. In fact, that Archers album was the first record I ever owned.

"I'm Gonna Rise" was later done by Andrus, Blackwood & Co. on one of their albums. AB&C, as they sometimes were called, was Paul Andrus and Terry Blackwood, two former members of the Imperials now involved in this stupid lawsuit.

 
At 10:52 AM, Blogger MW said...

YOU GO BOY! I just bought "No Shortage" and "Just Because He Loves You" CDs to keep in my archives.

 
At 10:54 AM, Blogger Tim said...

Hey Matt, I've been streaming your sermons online... your doctrine is sound, but there's not enough Kermit the Frog.

 
At 9:14 PM, Blogger ultradust@gmail.com said...

Hi! I made a new The Imperials News blog (haha) and I intend to make it the most up to date blog about the band. Come and visit.
Leave a comment so I can link to you.

Thanks!
Anna.

 

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